Bar of the week: Out Of The Blue at The Berkeley

Every week, we scour the city to find the best bars our capital has to offer. Whether you're a cocktail kind of guy, or a man who enjoys a decent draft beer, there's a GQ-worthy drinking spot to suit every taste.

Valentine's Day ideas that are guaranteed to impress her

From gorgeous gifts to romantic getaways and the best places to take your beau out to celebrate, we've compiled the ultimate list of Valentine's Day ideas for her - as chosen by the women of GQ - to treat your better half with this 14 February

Bar of the week: Out Of The Blue at The Berkeley

Every week, we scour the city to find the best bars our capital has to offer. Whether you're a cocktail kind of guy, or a man who enjoys a decent draft beer, there's a GQ-worthy drinking spot to suit every taste.

Valentine's Day ideas that are guaranteed to impress her

From gorgeous gifts to romantic getaways and the best places to take your beau out to celebrate, we've compiled the ultimate list of Valentine's Day ideas for her - as chosen by the women of GQ - to treat your better half with this 14 February

5 engagement gifts that would make us say ‘yes’ this Leap Year

Traditionally, the opportunity for a woman to propose to a man is extremely brief: a mere 24-hours once every four years on 29 February. And while, thankfully, ever-increasing gender equality means that women no longer have to wait until a Leap Year to float the idea of getting married to her partner, the Leap Day on Monday might push a few more ladies to consider their matrimonial options.

However, this creates quite a pre-wedding conundrum. Sure, genderfluid clothing is having a moment in the fashion world, but would this extend to a man wearing an engagement ring? A quick straw poll of the men in our office suggests probably not.

Of course, the present you give is not the be-all-and-end-all of the proposal process (if it is, we suggest you look around for a guy who isn’t quite so hung up on material things) and you’re probably already pretty damn sure your partner’s going to say yes - but here are five alternative engagement gifts to give to a man that will be sure to sweeten the deal.

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Watch

Not only will an elegant timepiece upgrade his wrist for the rest of his life, but it’s also going to look superb poking out from under the sleeve of his wedding day suit. As a nod to tradition, your go-tos should be Cartier and Tiffany, jewellery houses historically famed for their engagement rings.

Cufflinks

Chances are your wedding will require your future husband to wear a suit - and that calls for a pair of cufflinks. Go for something classic that he can wear for years to come, with a flat surface that you can get engraved should you so wish. Better yet, if you’re planning to have a black tie dress code at your ceremony, go for a pair of cufflinks that you can add a pair of matching shirt studs to at a later date, like these from Alice Made this.

Bracelet

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It only takes a quick look at our street style galleries from Pitti Uomo to see that these days bracelets are rivalling watches as the most popular item on a man's wrist. Either keep things simple with something sleek and silver or go for something studded with a masculine blue or black diamond, like this model from Tateossian [above left]. Hey, sometimes it's about sticking to tradition, right?

Shoes

If your boyfriend’s a sneakerhead, a pair of customised Nike Air Force 1s might just be the most romantic thing you can give him. Try out the brand’s Nike ID service to tailor a pair to his exact specifications. However, if he’s more likely to wear a tweed blazer than tracksuit bottoms, Oliver Sweeney provides a tattooing service for its shoes, allowing you to write your proposal message on a pair of its legendary brogues.

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Ring

Of course, if he’s already a ring wearer the old classic might just do the trick. That said, an engagement ring for men doesn’t mean diamonds - opt for a sleek, straightforward design. A solid band is the way to go, if you ask us.